{"id":15245,"date":"2025-12-08T08:06:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-08T14:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/?p=15245"},"modified":"2026-02-03T17:50:53","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T23:50:53","slug":"how-to-save-money-by-going-zero-waste","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/how-to-save-money-by-going-zero-waste\/","title":{"rendered":"Eco-friendly living guide: Save money with 6 simple steps"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Take out your wallet and pull out a $5 bill. Now, take that same $5 bill, crumple it up, and toss it in the trash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sounds crazy, doesn\u2019t it? But throwing away money is actually something many Americans do every day when they throw out food, plastic water bottles, and other items that can be reused, repurposed, or recycled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there could be another way\u2014choosing a zero-waste lifestyle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo be zero waste means to generate little to no trash,\u201d says Antonia Korcheva, founder of a commerce site and blog promoting zero-waste and plastic-free living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okay, okay. You may know that reducing your waste is good for the planet, but you could still be wondering, \u201cHow can a zero-waste lifestyle save me money?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The short answer, says Korcheva, is that when you\u2019re reducing waste you tend to buy less\u2014saving you money in the process. However, you may need to spend a little to save money<\/a> in the long run.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith zero waste, there is an upfront cost followed by long-term savings,\u201d says Kait Schulhof, founder of a zero-waste living blog.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re ready to find out how a zero-waste lifestyle can save you money, here are six ways to get started:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Track your waste<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A good way to start living the zero-waste lifestyle is to look at how much trash (and money) you\u2019re currently wasting. This means that the first step to saving money with zero waste is to record everything your family tosses out for one week. No joke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, categorize the waste. (A little gross, but worth it.) Are you throwing away mostly plastic items, paper items, food waste? This can help you decide which waste areas you need to focus on most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro Tip:<\/p><\/div>

Take note of any single-use items you throw away that you could either avoid purchasing altogether or recycle, Schulhof says.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

2. Rethink your approach to grocery shopping<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As you\u2019re considering how a zero-waste lifestyle can save you money, you might also revisit how you shop for groceries. Purchasing package-free food like fruits, vegetables, and dry goods measured out by weight is a strategy that Schulhof advocates as a way to produce less waste and save money on family expenses<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next time you hit the grocery store, see if there\u2019s a section with food sold in large bulk bins, open-market style. Rice, nuts, beans, flour, grains, cereals, and spices are common bulk-bin items. You can even bring your own containers from home, such as cloth drawstring bags or glass jars, and fill them with the amount of each item you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This bulk-bin strategy checks the box for minimizing waste because it allows you to skip plastic or cardboard packaging. As you\u2019re incorporating this zero-waste lifestyle <\/strong>tip, make sure you\u2019re not buying too much of an item that could potentially go bad before it\u2019s used. This is <\/strong>how a zero-waste lifestyle can save you money: You\u2019re only paying for what you need, and package-free goods can also be less expensive than their packaged counterparts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re taking this step to save money with zero waste, you might need to spend more upfront as you make the switch from packaged goods and stock up on bulk-bin ingredients for the first time, Schulhof says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro Tip:<\/p><\/div>

Make sure to weigh your containers in the grocery store before filling them up, so that the container’s weight isn’t calculated in the weight of your bulk-bin items, Schulhof says. A cashier should be able to help you out.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

3. Plan and prep meals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Meal planning means mapping out the meals you plan to eat each day for a set time period. You can do your meal prep a week at a time or by the month, depending on what works better for you and your family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Putting forethought into meals enables you to buy the specific amount you need of a particular item, which is key for saving money with a zero-waste lifestyle. How many times have you needed only a small amount of a certain ingredient, says Schulhof, but ended up buying the entire package\u2014only to then have too much leftover?<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Thinking about meals ahead of time is one of the best ways to stop overspending on impulse buys<\/a>, which can weigh on your grocery budget. How many times have you bought something at the grocery store because it sounded good in the moment? Fast-forward a week, and you\u2019re tossing it out because you never had a purpose for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When planning meals around ingredients you buy from bulk bins, Schulhof says the goal is to make use of everything you purchase. If you\u2019re creative, you might be able to stretch basic staples\u2014such as rice, beans, potatoes, and grains\u2014into several meals. This trick can help you put a fresh spin on how they\u2019re cooked each time, she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro Tip:<\/p><\/div>

When creating your main meal plan, include plans for the leftovers and scraps as well. For example, you might be able to make soups or salads from the leftover bits of celery, carrots, and other veggies, Schulhof says.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

4. Grow your own ingredients<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Another one of the steps to save money with zero waste is growing some of your own produce and herbs at home. You may have to invest a little bit of money in seeds and potting soil at the beginning, but you can reap savings later by being able to shop your own garden for vegetables, fruits, or herbs, instead of buying them from the grocery store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re considering how a zero-waste lifestyle can save you money, know that you can even combine the grow-your-own method with composting to further reduce waste. Composting rotting food is a way to create natural fertilizer for a backyard vegetable garden or indoor herb garden. At the same time, you\u2019re reducing the presence of methane-producing food scraps in your yard or local landfill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro Tip:<\/p><\/div>

If you can’t compost at home, try reaching out to a local farm or food co-op to see if they accept food scraps for composting, Schulhof says.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

5. Look beyond food waste at home<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Groceries and food waste might be your biggest focal point (especially if you\u2019re looking for ways to eat out on a budget<\/a>), but there are plenty of other ideas for how a zero-waste lifestyle can save you money around the house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These alternative ideas can \u201chelp eliminate the need for consumers to purchase single-use products, which, over time, will save money,\u201d Schulhof says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Here are some more of Schulhof\u2019s and Korcheva\u2019s steps to save money with zero waste by looking beyond food waste:<\/p>\n\n\n\n